Flow nipple



Patented 22; 1927.

tours n. nouns, or immune, cannon FPLE- Application filed June 2, 1924.Serial No. M7248.

My invention relates to the art of control- Referring to the drawingwhich is for at ling the flow from oil wells. In the oil industry it isquite common to bring in large wells which have a high gas pressure andI from which the oil is expelled with considerable force. If these wellsare allowed to flow freely, they sometimes do considerable damage to thecasingor the various fittings about the well and they usually sand up ina very short time, This sanding up may be due to the entry of largequantities of material into the well itself, or it may possibly be dueto a clogging of the format-ions around the welL. It is, of course,highly desirable to prevent the well sanding up and for this and otherpurposes it is com-'.

mon practice to provide a flow -nipple,'especially on wells having highgas pressure, this flow nipple consistmg of a member hav- 29 ing aconstricted orifice, the member being placed in the flow line from thewell and being utilized to hold a considerable gas pressure on the well,thus reducing the rate of flow and preventing'damage to the well andsand'troubles.

Many types of flow nipples have been invented that'consist usually of ablock of steel c having an orifice from one-eighth to one inch indiameter. This block of steel is usually hardened to resist wear, butnevertheless due tothe high velocity of the oil and gas through theorifice, a very rapid wear takes place therein.

In the conventional form of flow nipple a heavy valve is providedbetween the well and the flow nipple, and'as the nipple wears or when itis desired to replace. it with one having a difierent orifice, the usualmethod is to close this valve and then remove the flow nipple or abushing thereof. This necessitates shutting down the well for a shortperiod and is therefore objectionable.

It is an object of my invention toprovide r a flow nipple in which aneworifice may be presented without it being necessary to shut oil the Howof the well.- This new orificemay be of the same size or a number ofdifferent size orifices may be provided, any one of which may put inservice so that the pressure built upon the well and the rate of flow ofthe well can be quickly controlled without shutting the well down.

Further objects and advantages will be made/evident hereinafter.

illustrative purposes only,

Fig, 1 is a side elevation partly in section through one embodiment ofmy invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof showing the control handle.

Fig. 3 is asection on a plane represented by the line 3-4 of Fig.1,showing the valve in one of its operating positions.

Fig. 4 is a section on a plane represented by the line 34 of Fig. 4showing a position the valve assumes during its change from one positionto another. r

In the form of the invention illustrated, 11 is a valve body which issecured to a ipe 12 leading to the well to be controlle a valve notshown being preferably inserted in the pipe 12. A convenient locationfor the flow nipple is directly above the casing, head of the well.Threaded at 13 in the member 11 is a nipple 15 which in turn is threadedat 16 in a pipe 17 used as the flow line of the well. The nipple 15 inthe form shown is provided with six orifices 18 which extendlongitudinally therethrough and which may be all of the same size orwhich may .be of different sizes, as shown. Seated on the inner end 19of the nipple 15 is a valve '20 which is held centrally and turns abouta pin 21. Formed on the valve 20-is a hub 22 having a square holetherein. I he valve 20 is also provided with an opening 23 which issomewhat larger in diameter than the the body 11. Packing 37 compressedby a.

threaded gland 38 is provided about the valve stem 30 to prevent theescape of oil therearound. Secured on the outer end of the valve stem 30by means of a bolt 41 is a handle 40. The handle 40 has an inwardlyprojecting member 42 in which an enlarged head 43 on a bolt 44 is freeto slide. The head'43 has a projecting pin 45 adapted to seat in holes46 formed on the end of the member 11. The pin 45 is forced into theholes 46 by a compression spring 47. For the purpose of locking the pin45 in the holes 46, a guard 50 is provided, this guard being pivoted at51 on the handle 40 and being so shaped that it covers a nut 48 on thebolt .44- when it is in. the position shown in the drawings. The guard50 has a slot formed therein through which a staple 55 can project andanordinarypadlock 56 is provided to lock the guard in the position shown.

The method of operation is as follows:

The holes 46 are so placed that when the pin 45 is in any of these holesthe opening 23 in. the valve 20 registers with one of the orifices 18 inthe flow nipple The oil entering the interior of the body '11 throughthe pipe 12 is forced to flow through the opening 23 and the orifice 18,the triotion of the oil passing through this orifice being suflicient tobuildup a substantial pressure on the interior of the body 11 and on thewell. This pressure may amount to several hundred pounds per squareinch. Should the orifice 18 which is in service wear to a sufiicientdegree to allow this pressure to be reduced; or should it be desired tochange this pressure by changing the flow to a difi'erent size orifice,this can be accomplished by turning the valve 20. To

do this it is necessary to remove the padlock.

56 and turn the guard back about the pivot 51 so that the operator canpull to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, on the nut 48, thus pulling the in45 out of the hole 46v with which it sufficiently large to preventcomplete shut-' tin ofi of all orifices at any time. The ori ce 23starts to open an orifice 18 before it entirely'leaves the orifice withwhich it has previously been connected. This allows the well toflowcontinuously, and if the valve is turned in the usual manner nomaterial change in pressure takes place upon the well. Obviously, agreater or lesser L number of orifices 18 than shown may be employed,and where it is not desired to change the pressure on the well but it ismerely desired to give a long life to the flow nipple 15, a number oforifices all of the same size may be used. The pressure of the well actsupon the valve 20 tending to hold it on its seat. The flow nipple 15can, of course, be readily removed and replaced when it is entirely wornout by closing a valve in the pipe 12.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of a hollowbody constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which toreceive fluid under pres-- sure and provided with an outlet opening; arigid flow nipple secured in said 0 ning in fixed relation to said bodyand aving ormerly' registered. The valve stem 30 can now be turned bymeans.

a plurality of orifices of different relative diameters through whichfluid may be discharged from said valve chamber, said body and nipplebein adapted to be incorporated in and form a xed portion of a flowline;

and valve means within said chamber and freely operable in relation tosaid fixed body and nipple to close all but one of said orifices.

2. In a flow line device for a flowing well,

' the combination of: ahollow body constituting a valve chamber havingan inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure and provided withan outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixedrelation to said body and having a plurality of orifices of difierentrelative diameters through which fluids may be discharged from saidvalve chamber, said body. and nipple being adapted to be incorporated inand form a fixed portion of a flow line; and

valve means within said chamber and freely operable in relation -to saidfixed'body and or orifices through which fluid may be discharged fromsaid valve chamber, said body and nipple being adapted to beincorporated in and form a fixed ortion of a flow line; and valve meanswithin said chamber and freely operable in relation to said fixed bodyand nipple to close all but one of said orifices, said valve means beingformed to at all times maintain a continuous flow through at least oneof said orifices.

4. In aflow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: a hollowbody constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through which toreceive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; arigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to saidbodyand having a plurality of orifices of different relative diametersthrough which fluid may be dis charged from said valve chamber, saidbody and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and from a fixedportion of a flow line; and valve means within said chamber and freelyoperable. in relationto said fixed body and nipple to close all butoneof said orifices, said valve means being formed to at all timesmaintain a continuous flow through provided with an outlet openmg; arig1d neaaave flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation tosaid body and having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may bedischarged from said valve chamber, said orifices extending from theinner face of said flow nipple and said body and nipple being adapted tobe incorporated in and form a fixed portion of a flow line; a freelyrotatable disc valve engaging said inner facp of the flow nipple andhaving an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; andmeans for operating said disc valve.

6. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: ahollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through whichto receive fluid under pressureand provided with an outlet opening; arigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said bodyand having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be.discharged from said valve chamber, said orifices extending from theinner face of said flow ni ple and said body andnip le being adapte tobe incorporated in anc form a fixed portion of a' flow line; a freelyrotatable disc valve engaging said inner face of .the flow nipple andhaving an openlng adapted to register with one of said orifices; andmeans for operating said disc valve, said valve being axially movable inrelation to said operating means and adapted to be maintained in closecontact with the inner face of the flow nipple by the pressure withinthe valve chamber.

7. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: ahollow body constituting a valve chamber having an inlet through whichto receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; arigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said bodyand having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be dischargedfrom said valve chamber, said ori fices extending from the inner face ofsaid flow ni ple and said body and nipple being adapte to beincorporated in and form a fixed portion ofa flow line; a freelyrotatable disc valve en aging said inner face of the flow nipple andaving an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; andmeans for operating said disc valve, said means comprising a stemassociated with said valve and extending outwardly from thgl body andhaving a handle at its outer en 8. In a flow line device for a flowingwell, the combination of: a hollow body constituting a valve chamberhaving an inlet through which to receive fluid under pressure andprovided with an outlet opening; a rigid flow nipple secured in saidopening in fixed relation to said body and having a plurality oforifices through which fluid may be discharged from said valve chamber,said orifices extending from the inner face of said flow nipple and saidbody and nipple being adapted to be incorporated in and form a fixedportion of a flow line; a freely rotatable disc valve engaging saidinner face of the flow nipple and. having an opening adapted to registerwith one of said orifices; means for operating said disc valve, saidmeans comprising a stem asociated with said valve and extendingoutwardly from the body and .having a handle at its outer end; and meansfor locking said operating means in any one of its several selectivepositions. a

9. In a flow line device for a flowing well, the combination of: ahollow body constituting a valve chamber having an. inlet through whichto receive fluid under pressure and provided with an outlet opening; arigid flow nipple secured in said opening in fixed relation to said bodyand having a plurality of orifices through which fluid may be dischargedfroin said valve chamber, said orifices extending from the inner face ofsaid flownipple and said body and nipple being adapted to beincorporated in and form a fixed ortion of a flow line; a freelyrotatable dlsc valve engaging said inner face of the flow nipple andhaving an opening adapted to register with one of said orifices; andmeans for operating said disc valve, the opening in said valve being ofsufficient area to communicate with any two of said orifices so as to atall times permit a flow of fluid through the device.

-lln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 24th day of May, 1924.

Lotus n. nonan.

